Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-12-23
DUYAL COUNTY.
The Lack Of water and Enterprise the
Two Serious Drawbacks
RANK G. CARPENTER
SAN DIEGO, ThN Dec. 7, ISL.
To the Editor Of the Gazette.

Two Serious Drawbacks.
SAN DIEGO. TN, Dec. Il, 1851.
To the Editor Of the Gazette.
l see ii the Galveston News sn article
written from this place which is calcu-
lated to mislead stranger in regard to
two or three leading statements, snd as |
have always thought it was the duty OF q
newspaper correspondent to state facts,
or something very near the facts, when
ne undertakes TO describe or give
al account of country, its climate, soil
and advantages, Its water courses, growth
OF timber and the prospects of the future
development Of the section written OF, l
feel called upon to correct certain mis-
takes, for do not believe the errors to
have been intentional which were made
by Mr.. Johnson, the writer Of that article
In the first place San Diego, the county
seat of Duval county, is very quiet vii
lsge, with q population Of not more than
1000, If they amount to that number, and
uoless our leading citizens awake
from the lethargy which of late
has seemed to enwrsp them and do some
thing towards public improvement, il will
be more likely that our naturally healthy
and pleasant town will decrease in popu-
lation. in place ct advancing. Though
81 ueted on high ground, with every is
cility Of easy drainsges into the bed of
the creek on its southern boundary, the
people OF San Diego, l an sorry to say,
have done little Or nothing towards drain
ing the town. May be they go on the
principle of the Arksnsaw man, whose
roof did not leak in dry weather, and ar
que chat it scarcely ever rains here, but
it does rain sometimes, and when it rains
it pours, and then for days the small lakes,
or large puddles, are almost impossible,
even in front Of the best dwelling houses
or mansions in the place. Again, we are
fearfully in wait of water for stock aid
laundry purposes, but though the steep
and rocky banks and bed of the S IN Diego
creek would render easy the building of
{. dam across it which would secure per-
msnent water ell the year round. yet the
people are content to see the creek dry
for at least half the year rather than meet
the comparatively trivial expense Of $500
to build q good and substantial dam
Before the TeXas-MeXican Railroad built
the bridge across for their csrs 10 pass
over they offered to pay half the expense
OF G rock dam, but their offer wss not &C
cepted, and the consequence is that when
any large amount of live stock is to be
transported by rail, If even raised in this
vicinity, the shippers are obliged to drive
to some place where they can get the
water, which we could have had, but
have not. | know that there are some of
my fellow tOWnsmen who will say that |
am disposed TO disparGge our town, but
that is simply not SO. [ want to see San
Diego prosper, and If the men owning
the most property in the place would
arouse themselves, and try, they could
advance the interests of the town and
secure her future prosperity. Possessing
the natural advantages of an elevated
situation, dry and healthy climate,
entirely free from malaria, odr
town could be made one Of
the most desirable locations IN
Western Texas. The writer has every
thing that he possesses IN San Diego End
in DuVal county, snd has lived here OF
in the vicinity for more than score OF
years, yet he has never seen the "numer-
GUS creeks throughout the county, to-
gether, furnish plenty Of water" az
johnson asserts, except Immediately after
@ very heavy spell OF falling weather. In
truth, there IS not one bold running
IVA CSh2 ia al SSuHtSJ 6AN VIC OEly
drawback that we have is the scarcity OF
water. We have as rich soil in our val
leys IS s Cow ever dew over, end al,
that we want TO prove thai sections
Cf the county are admirably adapted to
agriculture, is to have the right kind OF
farmers amongst us-men who will cult
vste the ground using the modern imple-
ments Of farming instead of the old
crooked stick called plow which our
Mexican farmers have dragged over the
soil. OF the latter we have good many,
OF the former class very few indeed. |
have written these facts about our coun-
try not to discourage settlers from com
ing amongst ua. but that they
may fad things as represented
and not be misled. Farmers especially,
could do well here, everything they could
raise would bring the highest OF prices,
for example. corn is now worth 81 q
oushel, sweet potatoes about the same,
al garden produce in the same proper
ton. Eggs and poultry find ready sale
at the best of rates. We have really the
very best clsss Of MeXicans settled in oul
town and neighborhood, and some of the
| most genial Americans and Europeans
We have good public schools, and one ex
| cellent private school in San Diego snC
others in different parts Of the county
and al that we need is men of energy
and o-ahesdltiVeness 20 develop the ricl
| resources of this section Of Western
Texas. JIM.